The Joy of Conversation - Episode 200 - A solo episode

I didn’t set out to reach 200 episodes—I set out to follow the joy. And in this episode, I reflect on how joy hasn’t come from numbers or milestones, but from the moments in between - from the magic of sitting down and having real, honest conversations.

Over the years, I’ve explored everything from emotional intelligence to leadership transitions, from burnout to belonging, from accounting for our emotions to creating more human workplaces. And at the heart of it all has been conversation - curious, meaningful conversation.

To mark this milestone, I took myself (and the title of the episode) on a walk through London. I stopped to notice what caught my eye, and three unexpected moments - a sculpture, a street sign, and a sticker - each reminded me in their own way of the joy, the depth and the permission that conversation can hold. This episode isn’t just a celebration of a number - it’s a pause, a breath and an invitation. To slow down. To notice. To listen. Because in a world that rushes, true conversation remains one of our most powerful tools for connection and change and continues to have the power to move us.

 

Susan Ní Chríodáin is the host of Life Beyond the Numbers and founder of Beyond the Numbers, a leadership consultancy rooted in human connection and meaningful change. She’s the author of Leading Beyond the Numbers—an Amazon bestseller and finalist in the 2025 UK Business Book Awards (Leadership category). A former finance director turned leadership guide, Susan brings bold questions, honest conversations and an emotionally intelligent lens to how we live and lead. Through engaging interviews and thoughtful reflection, the podcast explores what really matters at work - beyond the numbers- so we can thrive as whole human beings.  Resources Mentioned:

This episode includes clips from 

Episode 109, Collective Joy, Pete Bearder

Episode 116, Challenges, Diego Adame

Episode 122, What Matters Most, Solo

Episode 132, Inner Development Goals, Katharina Moser

Episode 133, At Our Best, Solo

Episode 135, I Feel Like Me Again, Jo Hunter

Episode 145, Facilitate People, John Fairhurst

Episode 176, Trust, Kevin Chevis

Episode 187, Willing to Take Risks, Liz Jarman

Episode 190, Just a Couple of Centimeters of Care, Marc Haine

I also make reference to episode 197, Hear the Silence Emerging, Carissa Bub

"I Did it My Way" Frank Sinatra

David Whyte